by Maria Comellas 
El Blanes Hoquei Club Foundation (Blanes HC) was a roller hockey club founded in 1971 and dissolved in 2015. That same year a new club called Club Patí Blanes Atlètic was born, which plays in group D of the Second Catalan Division and which also plays its games in the facilities of the Sports City of Blanes.
History of Blanes HC
One already distant month of April 1971, the Skate Hockey Club of Blanes was founded. That is, it celebrated more than 40 years of existence. They are years emerging from the base and constantly working to forge a club and a sports entity that is already among the best roller hockey in the state on its own merits.
Three scenarios. Since 1985, the Blanes Patin Hockey Club has played its matches at the local Municipal Sports Pavilion, with a capacity of 1500 people. Previously, since its foundation in 1971 and until 1975, the club played its matches at the track of the Santa Maria de Blanes school of the Sagrada Familia Fathers; for ten years, that is, from 1975 to 1985, he was on the open track of Los Pinos.
Since its creation, the Blanes Skate Hockey Club has had six presidents. The first was also its founder, Jesús Crous y Collell, and it was only going to be until the year after the appearance of the Club. One of the best-known leaders of the entity is Josep Ridaura y Baltrons, who held the position since 1996.
Awards of the entity
The victories achieved on the slopes and its ability to carry out major events contributed considerably to the fact that the Blanes Patin Hockey Club has also obtained distinctions at the institutional level. The four awards that distinguished it as the best sports entity in Blanes in 1976,1979,1987, 1989, 1985, and XNUMX stand out. In addition, the club was considered the best sports entity in the entire province of Girona in XNUMX.
In 2001 they were champions of the Copa del Rey, and we must not forget the team's participation in the European league during the 2001-02 season and the next 2002-03.
Blanes and hockey
Blanes is a town that for years has been impregnated with the name of roller hockey. The identification with the team that played in the division of honor is already known, but the municipality and the Blanes Patin Hockey Club itself are not satisfied with this, since they have given ample evidence of their contribution to the production of this sport with the organization of different events. such as the two final phases (1.998 and 2.000) of the Copa del Rey.
Two years ago Alcobendas, Chica, Igualada and Reus Deportiu played an exciting final phase that ended with unanimous praise for the organization and victory for the team from Sant Sadurní, who thus won their first cup title. Two years later, the municipality, the club and the organizational capacity surpassed themselves and carried out the organization of the final phase of the cup with 8 teams and four days of organization
It was a challenge that was overcome with great success in the sporting and organizational fields. The pavilion was filled every day and the participating teams appreciated not only the treatment they received but also the high level of organization. The news media were able to carry out their task with the greatest facilities and in total comfort, and all of this had a positive impact on the dissemination of information about the event.
The success of the final phase was also helped by the spectacle in the stands and on the last court, which culminated in an extraordinary final between FC Barcelona and Voltregà, which the Blaugarana team won on penalties.
It was not easy to organize an event with 8 teams and their corresponding entourage of players, managers and fans, along with the refereeing establishment, members of the federation, the media, etc. In addition, most of them had to stay, move and locate themselves and carry out their mission in the final phase, whatever it was. The whole event was carried out with a success that the protagonists themselves would surely be able to corroborate.
Without going any further, a newspaper of the prestige and objectivity of the Sports World, congratulated the organization in its Monday edition after the final phase. The two editions of the King's Cup have been the two most notable events and perhaps the most renowned, but there have been other important events organized by the CHP Blanes that were also successful
Blanes in international competitions with regard to the senior category, in 1.988, 1.989 and 1.990 the Torneix Internacional Vila de Blanes was played, which in only three editions, won great prestige and achieved very important growth.
In a short time this tournament became an international benchmark in addition to the official competitions. It was attended by the Spanish, Italian and Portuguese clubs, the most outstanding of the moment, who contributed to a great sporting spectacle.
But the club and the municipality have not limited themselves to organizing national or friendly competitions, but have also dared with official international competitions such as the Junior European Championship that took place in 1991.
Of course, the best teams of the continent attended the European Championship, which was also a great projection, not only for the club, but also for the municipality, and the companies that decided to bet on the event in advertising. But the multiple possibilities that the club has had to project itself abroad do not end here.
The last years of the 80s and the first years of the 90s were very productive, since in 1989 the final phase of the Catalan League was organized, which despite having less infrastructure than the current final phases of the Copa del Rey, at that time more than 10 years ago, represented a challenge that ended with success.
Other events in the world of roller hockey that have taken place in Blanes were the II Junior Spanish Championship in 1998, El Torneix Costa Brava for children, which has been held from 1979 to the present, and the sectoral phase of the Spanish Children's Championship in 1976.
Club Board in 2003
President: Josep Ridaura and Baltrons
Vice: Xavier Sebastian, Joan Zurita, Pere Ridaura and Llorenç Ruiz.
Secretary: Anna Colomer
Members: Joan Aguilera, Pilà Sobreviela, Jesus Armero, Josep Ribas and Jaume Bou
Sports Direction: Joseph Garriga
First Team Sports Director: Michael Umbert
